Treaty of Gulistan

His Imperial Majesty, the most illustrious and sovereign great ruler, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, and His Majesty the Padishah, sovereign and ruler of the Persian State, moved by their high sovereign affection for their respective subjects and by their sincere mutual desire to end the calamities of a war contrary to their hearts and to restore upon a firm foundation the lasting peace and good-neighbourly friendship that have existed from ancient times between the All-Russian Empire and the Persian State, have deemed it proper to appoint as their plenipotentiaries for this just and salutary purpose: His All-Russian Imperial Majesty, His Excellency Nikolai Rtishchev, his Lieutenant-General, Commander-in-Chief of the forces in Georgia and on the Caucasian Line, Chief Administrator of civil affairs in the provinces of Astrakhan and the Caucasus and in Georgia and of all the frontier affairs of this region, commander of the Caspian naval flotilla, knight of the orders of Saint Alexander Nevsky, Saint Anne of the first class and the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George of the fourth class, and holder of the gold sword inscribed “For Bravery”; and His Majesty the Shah of Persia, his most eminent and highly esteemed Mirza Abdul Hasan Khan, formerly extraordinary envoy to the Ottoman and English courts, selected from among the Persian dignitaries, an official closest to his sovereign, counsellor of secret affairs of the high Persian court, descended from a vizier's family, a khan of the second rank at the Persian court, and recipient of his sovereign's special favour consisting of a dagger and sword adorned with diamonds, a shawl robe and horse trappings studded with diamonds. Accordingly, we, the aforementioned plenipotentiaries, having met in the Karabakh domain at Gulistan by the River Zeiva and exchanged credentials, and having each examined all matters concerning the peace and friendship to be established by us in the names of our great sovereigns, have, by the authority and high powers granted to us, determined and confirmed for all time the following articles:

The hostility and disagreements that have hitherto existed between the Russian Empire and the Persian State shall henceforth cease by this treaty, and there shall be perpetual peace, friendship and good understanding between His Imperial Majesty the Autocrat of All Russia and His Majesty the Shah of Persia, their heirs and successors to their thrones, and their respective high powers.

Since it has already been mutually agreed through preliminary relations between the two high powers to establish peace on the basis of Status quo ad presenten, that is, that each side shall retain possession of the lands, khanates and domains now entirely under its authority, the boundary between the All-Russian Empire and the Persian State shall henceforth be the following line: beginning at Odina Bazar, directly across the Mugan steppe to the Edibuluk ford on the River Araxes; thence upstream along the Araxes to the confluence of the River Kapanakchai; then along the right side of the Kapanakchai to the ridge of the Migri mountains; thence, continuing along the boundary between the Karabakh and Nakhichevan khanates, along the ridge of the Alagez mountains to Daralagez, where the boundaries of the Karabakh, Nakhichevan and Erivan khanates and part of the Elisavetpol district (formerly the Ganja khanate) meet; then along the boundary separating the Erivan khanate from the lands of the Elisavetpol district, and also Shamshadil and Kazakh, to Eshok Meidan; thence along the mountain ridge, following the right side of the stream and the Gimzachiman road, and along the ridge of the Bambak mountains to the corner of the Shuragel boundary; from that corner to the summit of the snowy mountain Alagez; and thence along the mountain ridge on the Shuragel boundary, between Mastaras and Artik, to the River Arpachai. Since possession of Talish changed hands during the war, the borders of that khanate on the side of Zinzeli and Ardavil shall, for greater certainty, be determined after the conclusion and ratification of this treaty by commissioners chosen by both sides in mutual agreement. Under the direction of the commanders-in-chief on both sides they shall prepare an accurate and detailed description of the lands, villages, gorges, rivers, mountains, lakes and localities now actually under the authority of each side. The boundary of the Talish khanate shall then be determined on the basis of Status quo ad presenten, so that each side retains its possessions. Likewise, if anything within the foregoing boundaries falls beyond the line of either side, the commissioners of both high powers shall examine the matter and each side shall provide satisfaction on the basis of Status quo ad presenten.

His Majesty the Shah, as proof of his sincere friendship towards His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia, solemnly recognises, for himself and the august successors to the Persian throne, as belonging in ownership to the Russian Empire the khanates of Karabakh and Ganja, the latter now transformed into the province called Elisavetpol; also the khanates of Shaki, Shirvan, Derbent, Quba, Baku and Talish, with the lands of the latter khanate now under the authority of the Russian Empire; furthermore, all Dagestan, Georgia with the province of Shuragel, Imereti, Guria, Mingrelia and Abkhazia, and likewise all domains and lands between the boundary now established and the Caucasian Line, with the lands and peoples adjoining that line and the Caspian Sea.

His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia, expressing reciprocal friendship towards His Majesty the Shah of Persia and his sincere desire to see the autocracy and ruling authority in Persia, his neighbouring state, placed upon a firm foundation, solemnly promises for himself and his successors to assist, when necessary, that son of the Persian Shah whom the latter designates heir to the Persian State, so that no external enemies may interfere in the affairs of the Persian State and so that the Persian court may be supported by the high Russian court. If, however, disputes concerning the affairs of the Persian State arise among the Shah's sons, the Russian Empire shall not intervene in them until the Shah then reigning requests such assistance.

Russian merchant vessels shall, according to former custom, have the right to navigate along the shores of the Caspian Sea and to put in there, and the Persians shall provide friendly assistance in the event of shipwreck. The same right is granted, according to former custom, to Persian merchant vessels to navigate on the Caspian Sea and put in at Russian shores, where all reciprocal assistance shall be given to Persians in the event of shipwreck. As regards warships, since before the war, in time of peace and at all times, the Russian naval flag alone has existed on the Caspian Sea, its former exclusive right is maintained, so that no power other than Russia may have a naval flag on the Caspian Sea.

All prisoners of both sides taken in battle, and inhabitants captured, whether Christians or adherents of other faiths, shall be released within three months after the conclusion and signature of the treaty. Each side shall provide them with food and travelling expenses to Karaklis, where the frontier commanders shall communicate with each other for their reception. Those who fled voluntarily or because of offences shall all be free to return to their homeland if they voluntarily wish to do so; those who do not wish to return shall not be compelled, whatever their nationality. Furthermore, fugitives on both sides are granted amnesty or pardon.

In addition to the foregoing, His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia and His Majesty the Shah of Persia agree that the ministers or envoys of their respective high courts, sent when necessary to the residences of Their Majesties, shall be received according to their rank and the importance of the business entrusted to them. Agents or consuls appointed by them, in accordance with previous examples, to towns where necessary for the protection of trade, shall have retinues of no more than ten persons and, as trusted officials, shall enjoy the respect and honours appropriate to their rank. Instructions shall be issued not merely that they must in no way be wronged, but also that, on their representations about injuries to the subjects of either side, justice shall be administered and the injured shall receive proper satisfaction.

As regards commercial intercourse between the subjects of Their Majesties, those possessing written documents from their governments or government-appointed frontier commanders proving that they are indeed merchants and Russian or Persian subjects shall be permitted freely to travel by land and sea into either high contracting state, reside there as long as they wish, conduct trade and depart again without any detention. Goods brought to Persia from places belonging to the Russian Empire, and reciprocally exported from Persia to those places, may be sold or bartered for other goods. Disputes between merchants of the two high powers, debts and other complaints shall be dealt with in the ordinary manner by recourse to the consul or agent, or, where there is none, the local chief. These officials shall, having examined the petitions with due justice, either themselves provide proper redress or require it from the appropriate authorities, and shall in no way permit any injury or oppression to be inflicted upon the merchants. Merchants who are Russian subjects and have come to Persia shall be free, if they wish, to travel thence with their goods to other states friendly to Persia; the Persian government shall duly provide the passports necessary for their free passage. The Russian government shall act reciprocally towards Persian merchants wishing to travel through Russia on commercial business to other states friendly to Russia. If a Russian subject visiting or residing in Persia dies, his effects and other movable and immovable property, as the property of a subject of a friendly power, shall be treated as follows: the movable property shall, without withholding or concealment, be delivered according to law and against receipts to his companions or relatives; the relatives shall be permitted to sell the immovable property to whomever they wish, at their discretion and for their benefit, as is always done in the Russian Empire and in all civilised states, irrespective of the power to which a person belongs.

Duties on goods brought by Russian merchants into Persian towns or ports shall not exceed five per cent, and shall not be demanded a second time wherever the merchants may travel with those goods. The same rate shall apply to Persian goods exported from there. No further dues, levies, taxes or duties shall be demanded under any pretext or device. The same duties, on the same basis, shall reciprocally be collected once only on Persian goods brought by Persian subjects into Russian towns or ports, and likewise on goods exported.

When goods are brought ashore or into a port, or by land to the frontier towns of either contracting power, the merchants of both sides shall be free to sell their goods and buy or barter for others without seeking permission from customs administrators or tax farmers. The latter's duty is to ensure unobstructed trade and the proper collection into the treasury of lawful duties from the seller or the buyer, according to their voluntary agreement.

Upon the signature of this treaty the plenipotentiaries of both high powers shall mutually and without delay send appropriate notice to all places and orders for the immediate cessation of hostilities everywhere. This treaty of perpetual peace, drawn up in two identical copies with a Persian translation, signed by the aforementioned plenipotentiaries of both high contracting powers, authenticated by their seals and mutually exchanged, shall be confirmed and ratified by His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia and His Majesty the Shah of Persia through solemn ratifications bearing Their Majesties' own signatures. The ratified copies shall be sent mutually by these high courts to their aforementioned plenipotentiaries within three months. Concluded in the Russian camp in the Karabakh domain at Gulistan by the River Zeiva, in the year of the Nativity of Christ 1813, on the 12th day of October, and according to Persian reckoning in the year 1228, on the 29th day of Shawwal.